Positive thoughts and Prayers for the 4 year old who almost drowned

Let's all agree to take what has been a horrific tragedy and heartache for this family and try to make some big positive change for the future and all the future little cruise swimmers and parents everywhere.

I am so hopeful that we can influence DCL to put lifeguards at the pools. Please include it on your surveys before you leave ship.

I am hopeful that many will read and learn how to recognize drowning individuals, and reach out to help others.

I am hopeful that parents will learn CPR so that we can help our loved ones and others when the need arises.

I am hopeful that we will as a community will learn to be more attentive near water and recognize how dangerous it can be.

Let's honor Chase by making positive changes in our lives.

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Hear, hear!

I am also hopeful that we, as parents, will be grateful for the health and happiness of our children, and endeavor to show that gratitude every day.

Already, I hug my children tighter. Try to love them more. I watch them with vigilance in the bathtub too - something I always THOUGHT I did...but not to the level I now understand is necessary.

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The title of this thread is "positive thoughts and prayers"... I continue to send mine to little Chase and his family.

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I am thinking of him everyday and I will continue to pray for him. I had our church add him to our prayer list. I do believe that having an entire community pray will help the family cope and heal.

I think it is great that there is such a caring group of people on the DIS who have sent not only prayers, but donations to this family in their time of need. I am proud to be a part of this community and this thread.

As a 4 year old child, I nearly drowned, and it is one of my most vivid early memories. My family was on vacation at a small resort. I wandered off to the pool while my parents & older siblings were unpacking the car. I was fully dressed and walking around the parameters of the small, empty pool, like I was walking on a balance beam. I lost my balance and fell in. I didn't know how to swim. I distinctly remember being at the bottom of the deep end of the pool, very close to the drain. In a word, I was mesmerized. No sense of panic or danger whatsoever. I honestly thought I was swimming & completely unaware that my lungs were filling with water. So for those who have suggested that drowning is a silent killer, for young children, this is especially true. Thankfully for me, my mother very quickly realized that I had wandered off. She saw me at the bottom of the otherwise empty pool, and dove in to rescue me. I share my story to emphasize the randomness and unpredictability of accidents. My parents lost sight of me (one of 4 kids) for a brief moment. It could easily happen to any family in the chaos at the onset of any vacation, especially on a crowded cruise ship.

Needless to say, Chase's story has touched me in that, "there but the grace of God go I" sort of way. My heart goes out to him & his family and I, too, send out positive thoughts & prayers for healing & strength. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through.

To the poster who belittled the power of prayer, this is not a time for political correctness. If you did not agree with the tone of this thread (and clearly the title made its intent known) then why read or comment at all? Just my 2 cents.

Let's all agree to take what has been a horrific tragedy and heartache for this family and try to make some big positive change for the future and all the future little cruise swimmers and parents everywhere.

I am so hopeful that we can influence DCL to put lifeguards at the pools. Please include it on your surveys before you leave ship.

I am hopeful that many will read and learn how to recognize drowning individuals, and reach out to help others.

I am hopeful that parents will learn CPR so that we can help our loved ones and others when the need arises.

I am hopeful that we will as a community will learn to be more attentive near water and recognize how dangerous it can be.

As a 4 year old child, I nearly drowned, and it is one of my most vivid early memories. My family was on vacation at a small resort. I wandered off to the pool while my parents & older siblings were unpacking the car. I was fully dressed and walking around the parameters of the small, empty pool, like I was walking on a balance beam. I lost my balance and fell in. I didn't know how to swim. I distinctly remember being at the bottom of the deep end of the pool, very close to the drain. In a word, I was mesmerized. No sense of panic or danger whatsoever. I honestly thought I was swimming & completely unaware that my lungs were filling with water. So for those who have suggested that drowning is a silent killer, for young children, this is especially true. Thankfully for me, my mother very quickly realized that I had wandered off. She saw me at the bottom of the otherwise empty pool, and dove in to rescue me. I share my story to emphasize the randomness and unpredictability of accidents. My parents lost sight of me (one of 4 kids) for a brief moment. It could easily happen to any family in the chaos at the onset of any vacation, especially on a crowded cruise ship.

Needless to say, Chase's story has touched me in that, "there but the grace of God go I" sort of way. My heart goes out to him & his family and I, too, send out positive thoughts & prayers for healing & strength. I cannot imagine the pain they are going through.

To the poster who belittled the power of prayer, this is not a time for political correctness. If you did not agree with the tone of this thread (and clearly the title made its intent known) then why read or comment at all? Just my 2 cents.

I don't want to continue the negativity, but I felt that I must comment on the believers, non-believers activity. If anyone is reading or has read any of the caring bridge entries, you would know that Chase's family believes strongly in the power of prayer and have asked for prayers from all those who believe likewise. I believe that by offering our prayers we are honoring his families wishes, encouraging, and uplifting them in this difficult time.

I don't want to continue the negativity, but I felt that I must comment on the believers, non-believers activity. If anyone is reading or has read any of the caring bridge entries, you would know that Chase's family believes strongly in the power of prayer and have asked for prayers from all those who believe likewise. I believe that by offering our prayers we are honoring his families wishes, encouraging, and uplifting them in this difficult time.

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I agree!!!! The family has asked for that one small thing from those who do believe.

It's very hard to see the negativity in these boards. The anonymity of the Internet obviously makes people overly comfortable and its sad that there are people that are so angry that they would be so hurtful and unkind when the life of a 4 year old hangs in the balance. I pray for this family every night and thank God they aren't exposed to the cruel comments

I agree!!!! The family has asked for that one small thing from those who do believe.

It's very hard to see the negativity in these boards. The anonymity of the Internet obviously makes people overly comfortable and its sad that there are people that are so angry that they would be so hurtful and unkind when the life of a 4 year old hangs in the balance. I pray for this family every night and thank God they aren't exposed to the cruel comments

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I was just saying this to my husband tonight. Our pastor's son died last week. Some people online have been downright cruel. Satan attacks those who are doing the work of the Lord. The Lykken family embraces God and I for one am praying for them.

I don't want to continue the negativity, but I felt that I must comment on the believers, non-believers activity. If anyone is reading or has read any of the caring bridge entries, you would know that Chase's family believes strongly in the power of prayer and have asked for prayers from all those who believe likewise. I believe that by offering our prayers we are honoring his families wishes, encouraging, and uplifting them in this difficult time.

I'm not religious, but darn it, if the Lykken family want prayers then I will do my utmost to provide what I can in the form of prayers to their God for Chase's recovery. They deserve that and so does their sweet precious little warrior! Sending prayers and positive thoughts for a miracle. I wish I could hug them.

I'm not religious, but darn it, if the Lykken family want prayers then I will do my utmost to provide what I can in the form of prayers to their God for Chase's recovery. They deserve that and so does their sweet precious little warrior! Sending prayers and positive thoughts for a miracle. I wish I could hug them.

I'm not religious, but darn it, if the Lykken family want prayers then I will do my utmost to provide what I can in the form of prayers to their God for Chase's recovery. They deserve that and so does their sweet precious little warrior! Sending prayers and positive thoughts for a miracle. I wish I could hug them.

Hi, drowning is a silent killer. Drowning is not splashing, and yelling at all (it is NOT like the movies at all) People just go under silently. It sounds like the pool was so full that you can't see the bottom. I was a lifeguard and later swim instructor for 10years. Almost all drownings were silent ( a few were yellers as they just couldn't handle the wave pool)
But as a lifeguard you learn to scan the bottom of the pool, you don't look for screamers or splashers. Often kids slip under as if they were going to swim under water but in reality they can't stay above and no one notices they are not literally swimming or coming back up. And I know from a previous cruise you can not see the bottom of the pool at all. So scary!

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This reminds me of when I worked in a public swimming pool as the cashier. A lady came with her young child and a boy about 4 (this was in the early 80's). She took turns carrying each child towards the deeper water and left the othe in the shallow end. When she took her own child, the 4 year old followed her (unbeknownst to her) and it wasn't until another child discovered him, was he rescued. Not sure how long he was under but seem to remember he survived without brain damage.

I'm not religious, but darn it, if the Lykken family want prayers then I will do my utmost to provide what I can in the form of prayers to their God for Chase's recovery. They deserve that and so does their sweet precious little warrior! Sending prayers and positive thoughts for a miracle. I wish I could hug them.

Seriously, people have not been negative on this board. Saying "I'm not going to pray because I don't believe in it" isn't negative. There are lots of ways to express support. I've been impressed with how positive these boards have been on this topic.

If anything "positive" came out of the horrible tragedy, is that yesterday, I signed my 4 year old daughter up for swimming lessons for the first time. It was one of those things on my list, that I probably would have never gotten around to. We sailed on the Fantasy last year, and are sailing in November. My DD has recently run off from me and into the street to see a neighbor. Does she know better? Yes. Accidents happen. Chase may be saving lives because of this. God bless him.

Seriously, people have not been negative on this board. Saying "I'm not going to pray because I don't believe in it" isn't negative. There are lots of ways to express support. I've been impressed with how positive these boards have been on this topic.

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Some have gone too far. How would a non believer feel, if they asked for words of encouragement and strength, but posters insisted on prayers? Granted, some would take the gesture as a sign of support, but others would be offended.

I disagree. Read some of the posts on other threads related to this. The parents have been called names, been excused if leaving their child in the pool alone to go get drinks, and accused of horrible things, even comments that they shouldn't have been allowed to have kids. Awful things. How anyone could say things like that ever, but especially when their 4 year old is doing everything to survive is awful. It is definitely negative, evil and cruel. I don't think that shows support at all and the people making them should be ashamed.

Yes, people can be cruel. That's why I commented on how impressed I was with how supportive and kind people have been in this thread.

And as for how would non-believers feel if people insisted on praying for them? Meh. It happens all the time so most of us learn to roll with it and accept the good intentions.

From their Caring Bridge site I get the impression Chase is at Children's in Minneapolis. If that's the case then they're in great hands. I've seen first hand how amazing the doctors and nurses are there.